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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29248569">When In 1838 (Don't Do As Peter Does)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/infinityandluck/pseuds/infinityandluck'>infinityandluck</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Magnus Archives (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Humour? Perhaps, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post MAG 158, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:19:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,730</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29248569</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/infinityandluck/pseuds/infinityandluck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter Lukas opened his eyes. It was an unfortunate thing, really; he’d been hoping that he died. It would’ve made everything easier. He never understood how Jonah could be so scared of it. He’d been imagining his own death for as long as he could remember.</p>
<p>There was peace in knowing everyone (or almost everyone since the company he kept seemed to like to prove him wrong) died. Simon once said he would’ve made a fine avatar for Terminus with that attitude, but death was a lonely thing.</p>
<p>Peter Lukas was not dead, however. And not alone either for that matter. That damn Archivist must’ve forced him out of the Lonely because now he was sitting on a sidewalk, presumably outside of the Institute. Several people have walked past him, though he’s done his best to not look at any of them, pulling up the collar of his coat to hide his face as best he could. Trying to shrink into himself but not succeeding. </p>
<hr/>
<p>Following his confrontation with the Archivist, Peter finds himself in London circa...well, he doesn't actually know when, but one of the benefits of keeping company that is several centuries older than himself is that they can help him sort all this out and, hopefully, find his way back home.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elias Bouchard/Peter Lukas, Peter Lukas/Jonah Magnus, Simon Fairchild &amp; Peter Lukas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The amount of time I spent researching trains in the early victorian period compared to how much I actually talked about trains in this is quite frankly absurd and entirely related.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The last thing Peter heard was Elias’s—no, Jonah’s—Archivist trying his best to force an answer out of him. He’d spent enough time around Elias to know how to avoid being compelled, and the Lonely certainly helped in that regard, but even he couldn’t truly fight it.</p><p>The Archivist kept pushing, though, refusing to take no for an answer. He was stronger than Elias was, and Peter couldn’t struggle against him any longer.</p><p>He’d kept his promise. He’d done his part. And now his role was finished. Jonah certainly wouldn’t have any use for him anymore. Good, he didn’t want to be someone’s pawn. </p><p>He didn’t get to die alone, per se, but he certainly died lonely. That’s all he could’ve asked for at the end.</p>
<hr/><p>Peter Lukas opened his eyes. It was an unfortunate thing, really; he’d been hoping that he died. It would’ve made everything easier. He never understood how Jonah could be so scared of it. He’d been imagining his own death for as long as he could remember.</p><p>There was peace in knowing everyone (or almost everyone since the company he kept seemed to like to prove him wrong) died. Simon once said he would’ve made a fine avatar for Terminus with that attitude, but death was a lonely thing.</p><p>Peter Lukas was not dead, however. And not alone either for that matter. That damn Archivist must’ve forced him out of the Lonely because now he was sitting on a sidewalk, presumably outside of the Institute. Several people have walked past him, though he’s done his best to not look at any of them, pulling up the collar of his coat to hide his face as best he could. Trying to shrink into himself but not succeeding. </p><p>He could feel everyone’s eyes on him still, and he hazarded a glare in their general directions. All of them looked at him with the same confused, bewildered expressions and Peter could imagine he was mirroring it back at them right now.</p><p>He’d never really cared for the shows Elias watched while he was home. Old-timey people in old-timey clothes that he claimed reminded him of his youth. Peter thought it was boring and too melodramatic for his tastes, but he’d be lying if he didn’t admit that he sat by Elias’s side every time and watched them too (it was purely to feed off of Elias’s loneliness, he swore).</p><p>These people looked just like that. The same dresses and odd hats and coats. Everyone dressed like they were in some period piece. </p><p>Finally, he took the chance to look around. It was undeniably London, just not the London he knew. </p><p>What year it was or how he got to be there was beyond him, but the solution was clear: he needed to find Elias.</p><p>He picked himself up off the ground and went to go look for the man who would one day become his husband. He was grateful, at least, that he was such a man of consistency. That would be somewhat helpful.</p><p>He’d thought he was in front of the Institute, maybe a block or so away. The area was somewhat familiar, but when he tried to make his way to where the entrance should be, it wasn’t there. The Magnus Institute was not in London.</p><p>That complicated things...a lot.</p><p>Where was it then? It took him a moment to recall the history of the Institute that he’d learned as a boy preparing to serve the Lukas family and their allies, and whatever Elias told him about. If memory serves, it was in Scotland before it had been moved to London. </p><p>The problem was that Peter honestly drowned out whatever Elias said when he talked about ‘the Institute’s great history’ because he’d never thought it would matter. So he didn’t exactly know <em>where</em> in Scotland. He could wager a guess. Elias craved the company of people too much to be anywhere that wasn’t a large city. He racked his brain for what the largest city in Scotland was: Glasgow. He had no clue how it was doing population-wise back in these days, but Elias was a man ahead of his time, surely he’d be there.</p><p>It would be easy enough to get there. He was rather tired and Glasgow was far enough away that it would be a bit difficult to travel through the Lonely to get there but in comparison to whatever he might have to do it was the best option.</p><p>Fewer people were walking around right now but that was still too many. He went to find somewhere a little less open. </p><p>Once he was blissfully alone, he tried to summon the fog. He closed his eyes, eager for the chill of the Lonely only for it to not come.</p><p>He opened his eyes again to the real world. </p><p>“No!” He let out a frustrated groan and tried again to the same results. </p><p>Every time he tried to enter the Lonely he failed, and every time he failed he only grew more frustrated. He reached for the chain around his neck, on it was his wedding ring to Elias. Whenever he was upset, he would hold onto it. Feeling the cold metal of the band did the trick while he tried to think of a plan. </p><p>At this point, his only option was to take a train. Were trains around at this time? Could you rent a carriage from London to Glasgow or would that take too long? </p><p>Carefully, he tucked the ring and the chain back under his shirt and pulled his coat a bit tighter. He took a deep breath and prepared himself for what he had to do.</p>
<hr/><p>It took longer than he cared to admit to get to Glasgow. He'd expected the train ride to take a while. He did not expect finding a train and getting the ticket to take half as long as it did.</p><p>In spite of it all though, Peter had gotten off the train at his final destination and was trying to figure out his best course of action to find the Institute and, subsequently, Jonah. </p><p>“Mordechai? What are you doing in Glasgow?” A familiar voice came from behind. Peter turned around. “Ah. Not Mordechai then. Sorry, old chap thought you were someone else.”</p><p>“...Simon?” Peter felt a sudden relief that there was something familiar in all of this. Then he repressed that feeling.</p><p>“Anatolio Guiliani,” he stuck out a wrinkled old hand. Peter looked at it for a brief moment before remembering himself and giving it a quick shake.</p><p>“Peter Lukas.”</p><p>“Aha! So you are a Lukas; I knew you had to be, you all look the same. Though I confess I’ve never seen you before.” He gave Peter a look over, certainly trying to piece together what was happening.</p><p>He knew Simon was looking for an answer but he didn’t give him one. “I’m looking for Jonah Magnus?”</p><p>Simon, well, Anatolio technically, narrowed his eyes at that before a large smile promptly found its way back onto his face. “I’ve been telling him he needed to start seeing more people again! Ever since the last three died—or was it the last two? I think so. Ever since the last two died and the third left he’s been holed up in that little Institute of his. With how alone he is all of the time, it’s no surprise he’s so fond of you Lukases.”</p><p>“Right...could you tell me where the Institute is?”</p><p>“Yes, yes!” Anatolio whipped around to look at the train schedule. “The next train to Edinburgh leaves in about an hour. Once you get off there you’ll have to leave the station and take a left. Actually? It would be easier if I took you. I haven’t seen him since he was in London last; we’re overdue for a talk.”</p><p>“Wait, did you say Edinburgh?” Damn. He’d thought he was on the money with Glasgow.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Whatever relief he’d felt at finding Simon was quickly diminished when he realised the company he’d found was, in fact, Simon’s, which meant he was far more exhausting to be around than any other. Two hundred years had apparently no effect on the man’s exuberance. </p>
<p>Thankfully, they had a common goal in mind, so getting Peter to the Institute was the top priority.</p>
<p>Simon had all but shoved him into the building, claiming he could talk to Jonah after the two of them had spent some time together. Peter had cringed at the implications of that statement but didn’t say anything further, simply walking into the Institute.</p>
<p>Obviously, he didn’t expect it to look like the Institute he knew but it still caught him off guard. Much like the Head itself, the Institute always seemed so needlessly dramatic. Right now it just seemed like a place, a building, just like anywhere else. It was nice still, but it felt wrong. </p>
<p>There was a young man, about twenty, who walked into the room carrying a number of papers in his arms. Despite seeming rushed, he took a moment to turn to Peter, obviously caught off guard by his appearance but putting on a good face. With the way Peter was dressed, he was sure he was the oddest thing this boy’s ever seen.</p>
<p>Despite this, the young man kept an even tone whilst speaking to him. “Oh, good afternoon. If you’re here to give an account, Mr Magnus requests that it be written down.” </p>
<p>“Actually, I needed to speak with him.”</p>
<p>The man—an assistant, he assumed—spared one pained glance to the stack of papers he was holding and rushed over to the desk where Peter was standing.</p>
<p>“Do you have a meeting with him today?” </p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>Were it not for how well-mannered this young man seemed, Peter knew his eye would be twitching. He was stressed and overworked, and, if things were normal right now, a perfect meal for the Lonely. “I could go-” </p>
<p>Peter cut him off and smiled. “I didn’t catch your name.”</p>
<p>“Gregory Taylor, sir,” he said quickly but no less politely.</p>
<p>“Peter Lukas.” The mention of his last name seemed to have the desired effect—Gregory’s eyes went wide in surprise and he quickly righted himself. Peter was often grateful for the power his name held, especially now.</p>
<p>“Ah, my sincerest apologies, Mr Lukas. Mr Magnus hadn’t informed me a member of the Lukas family would be coming by today. He should be in his office.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Gregory!” He took a step past him before he realised he didn’t know where Jonah’s office was here exactly. “Would you mind showing me the way?”</p>
<p>“Not at all. Right this way, sir.” He kindly led Peter up to the second floor to Jonah’s office.</p>
<p>There was nothing special about the door that led to it. Like the rest of the building, it looked completely unassuming, and it worried Peter a little about how much Jonah knew about their world at this time.</p>
<p>“Let me tell him you’re here.” Gregory knocked on the door. A faint come in could be heard from the other side. “Good afternoon, sir. A Mr Lukas is here to see you.”</p>
<p>Without missing a beat, Jonah responded, “Of course! Thank you, Gregory. Please let him in.”</p>
<p>The assistant took a step back, opening the door so Peter could enter before closing it behind him. The room was a mess of stacked books and papers, everything in scattered disarray. From what Peter could see, there was maybe one eye total in the room (other than the ones in people’s heads, that is) which also threw him off.</p>
<p>“Mordechai, you should’ve told me you were- You’re not Mordechai.” Jonah stood up and could finally be seen from behind his desk, a tower of documents that previously shielded him from view.</p>
<p>This wasn’t the first time Jonah had called him Mordechai, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last. “Peter, actually. Peter Lukas.”</p>
<p>“Quite…You must forgive me, we haven’t met before. Jonah Magnus,” he walked over to him, hand outstretched. “I wasn’t aware there were other Lukases.” Peter had all of five seconds to stop himself from laughing at how short Jonah was. Elias was shorter still, but not by much. He’s always just been tiny then. </p>
<p>Peter smiled and shook his hand, avoiding the obvious question of who are you that was left unasked. “I was hoping to ask you something.”</p>
<p>Jonah gave him a polite smile, eyeing him up and down, then gestured to a chair in front of the desk. “Please, have a seat, Mr Lukas.” He started shuffling the papers and moving them around, trying to clean off his desk, he seemed a lot more flustered than usual. “I apologise for the mess. We’ve had an influx of statements recently.”</p>
<p>They were now sitting across from one another and they had the chance to fully look at each other. Jonah looked like what his portraits showed, just not so...painted. What caught his attention the most though, were his eyes; the one part of Jonah he’d always known. The thing that always struck Peter about them was that they reminded him of marbles: beautiful and perfect, but cold and hard, lifeless. But now Peter could see the spark in them that Simon had described to him once. They were bright. Jonah blinked and Peter stopped thinking about them.</p>
<p>“Now, how may I help you?”<br/>
 <br/>
It took a moment to think of the exact question he wanted to ask before he settled on what would be the most intriguing way of asking, ensuring Jonah would be interested. “Can you Know things yet?”</p>
<p>A beat. “What do you mean by yet?”</p>
<p>“The entities? Smirke told you about them. You follow the Eye, but can you Know things? Would you be able to tell if I’m lying to you?”</p>
<p>“No, that’s not what I asked. What do you mean by yet?”</p>
<p>“Well….I ask because what I’m about to tell you is a bit far-fetched, but it’s true.”</p>
<p>Jonah nodded and folded his hands in front of him on his desk. “I spend my days surrounded by ghostly encounters and tall-tales, and among them, there are some truths. Over the years, I think I’ve become adept at finding those ones.”</p>
<p>“I’m going to say that you can’t just Know things then?”</p>
<p>“No…” he sounded confused still, but open, “but, please, tell your story.”</p>
<p>Peter mentally braced himself for what he was about to say. “So, you know Rayner and his whole thing, right? About how he’s immortal and how he does it?” He waited for Jonah to nod before continuing. “You figure out how to do that too. I know this because I am Mordechai’s great-great-grandson...and also your husband.”</p>
<p>Jonah stared at him blankly from across his desk, not reacting to what he just said. He felt pinned to his chair like a specimen being examined. Despite this, Jonah didn’t seem particularly intense. He had no expression on his face. All the more reason to feel that something is wrong.</p>
<p>After a minute of silence on Jonah’s part, Peter hesitantly opened his mouth to say more before he was cut off. </p>
<p>“When are you saying you are from, exactly?”</p>
<p>“I’m from 2018...what year is it now? I didn’t get the chance to look for the date.”</p>
<p>“2018, you say? Then I’m afraid that you are 180 years in the past; it’s 1838.”</p>
<p>“Do you believe me?”</p>
<p>“Honestly? No, but where would I be if I wasn’t open to being proved wrong? There are a few parts of your story, however, that do lean in your favour. So for now, I will accept that you’re not boldly lying to me. I don’t see what you would gain if you were.”</p>
<p>Peter internally let out a sigh of relief because he wasn’t sure what his plan would be if he didn’t get Jonah to believe him.</p>
<p>“I think it best we continue to discuss this somewhere else. I’m going to assume you don’t have somewhere to stay?”</p>
<p>“You would be right.”</p>
<p>“Then,” Jonah stood up and walked around his desk to Peter, “you’ll be staying with me.”</p>
<p>Peter blinked a few times then a large smile made its way onto his face. “Thank you, Mr Magnus. I’m glad we could work something out.”</p>
<p>“Indeed.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! The idea of Peter going back in time, and meeting Jonah has been living in my head for months and I needed to do something about it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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